Wheel balancing machine



Oct. 3, 1950 w. H. TRINDLE 7 WHEEL BALANCING MACHINE Filed Aug. 6, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A nvz/av TURE Wm H. TRY/V965. [0 E:

Oct. 3, 1950 w. H. TRINDLE 2,524,407

WHEEL BALANCING mcnzmz 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1946 WMY / TTU RNEW Oct. 3, 1950 w. H. TRINDLE 2,524,407

WHEEL BALANCING MACHINE Filed Aug. 6, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 TTURA/EW Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES harem OFFICE WHEEL BALANCING MACHINE William H. Trindle, Salem, Oreg.

Application August 6, 1946, Serial No. 688,783

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates generally to the auto motive industry and particularly to a wheel balancing machine.

The main object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient form of a machine whereby an automobile wheel can be quickly and easily, as well as accurately, balanced.

The second object is to provide a machine of the class described, which will be adaptable for use with various sizes of wheels.

The third object is to provide a machine of the class described, in which a means is provided for protecting the device against shocks during the loading and unloading operations.

I accomplish these and other objects in a manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section through the machine.

Fig. 3 is a transversed section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken along line 4-4 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 55 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the device.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of pivot.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a second modification of the pivot member.

Similar numbers of reference refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

the

Referring in detail to the drawings there is shown a pair of angular frame members Ill, from which extend upwardly the vertical sides II, to the horizontal top l2, which extends across the middle portion of the device, while the semi-circular curved portions l3 and M cover the ends of the device. Suspended from the portions |3 and H! are the hangers |5, provided with the knife points it, over which hang the straps H, the straps ll, being secured to the rods |3, by means of the bolts l9. to the scale beam 28, at the middle portion of which is secured the elongated screw 2|, which occupies the plane passing through the knife points It and the longitudinal axis of the beam 20.

0n the screw 2| is mounted the lower hand wheel 22, which is threaded upon the screw 2|, and the upper hand wheel 23, which is also threaded upon the screw 2|. Between the hand wheels 22 and 23 are the slidable cones 24 and The rods l8, are attached j all) 2 25 adapted to receive and center the hub 26, of the automobile wheel 27.

Springs 28 and 29 separate the hand wheels 22 and 23, from their respective cone members 24; and 25.

It will be noted that the screw 2 l, passes freely through the slot 30 in the top l2.

On the back 3| are secured the two brackets 32 between which is held in tension, a rod 33, on whose threaded ends 34, are placed the wing nuts 35.

The rod 33, is provided with a central pivot on which is mounted an indicator arm 31, whose point 3%, extends above the top of the member M in front of the calibrated scale 39, which is mounted in the raised extension 4|), on the top side of the member [4. The purpose of this construction is to make possible the adjustment of the point 38 to the zero position on the scale 39. This is accomplished by adjusting the position of the rod 33 by means of the nuts 35 and therefore shifting the pivot center of the arm 31 and the relation which the point 38 bears to the scale 39 for a given position of the beam 20.

It is desirable to provide a door 4|, on the back 35, to give access to the parts. Motion is transmitted from the rod iii, to the arm 31, by means of a pin 42, and it is desirable to position the pin 42, so that the motion will be multiplied at the point 38. Obviously the pin 42 must have suflicient freedom to permit its operation due to the opposite positions of the axes of the members I5 and 36. This is best accomplished by slotting the hole in the indicator arm 31 through which the pin 42 extends. Obviously the slot, though short, should be along the length of the arm 37.

The front 43, which is opposite the end 3|, is also provided with a door 4 3.

The ends 3| and front 43 have mounted on the inner sides thereof, the double bearing guide 45, within which are mounted the slides 46 on the upper end of which is mounted a V-shaped head M, which forms a saddle for the beam 2|], when the slides 46 are raised. The purpose of the V- shaped heads 47 is to lift the Weight of the Wheel 2? and its support from the knife points It. When raised the heads 4'! prevent the beam 2|] from revolving in a horizontal plane about the axis of the screw 2|, when the wheel 21 is being mounted or dismounted and thereby injure the points IE or the members or 58.

The raising of the slides 46, is accomplished by means of links 48, which connect the lower 3 ends of the slide 46, to the crank arms 49, which are pinned on the horizontal shaft 50, at opposite ends of the device.

The shaft 50 journals in the bearings 5 i, which are mounted on the back 35 and the front 43.

Secured on the outer end of the shaft 50, is a lever 52, at whose upper end is disposed a handie 53.

The lever 52, is limited in one direction to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, by means of a stop 50, which holds the crank arm 9, and links :28 in alignment with the axes of the slides 46, that is, holds the heads ll, in their uppermost positions, thereby holding the straps ll, out of engagement with their knife points l6, thereby preventing injury to the points it, when a wheel 21, is being placed on or removed from the beam 20.

In Fig. '7 there is shown a modified form of a hanger iE-A, in which a flexible tape 55, is anchored in the cross pin 56, which is secured to the rod iB-A. The pin 55 does not move.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a further modification in which the hanger !5-B supports the cross pin 51, in which are anchored the flexible cables 50, the lower ends of which are attached to the rods i8--B. The pin 5i does not move. The operation of thedevice is as follows: Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 that is, with the beam 20, supported by the V-shaped heads 31, and that it is desired'to balance a wheel El. It is first necessary to lace the wheel upon the screw 2!, between the comes 2 and 25 and by turning the hand wheels 23 and 22, adjust the pressure on the springs 28 and 29 in order to change the relative distance between the center of gravity of the wheel 2i and the axis of balance, that is, the line passing along the knife points it.

Obviously a larger tire will require the cone 2% to be lower and a smaller tire would require it to be raised in order to maintain the critical relationship between the knife points it and the center of gravity.

It will be understood that the amount of difference will vary somewhat according to various factors and conditions, but as a rule, the center of gravit will be slightly below the center of balance which passes through the edges of the knife points U5.

The wheel 21, is now rotated manually and allowed to come to rest in various positions, about the circumference of the wheel in order that any unbalance of the wheel may rock the beam 20 and indicate the unbalancing on the scale b means of the point 38.

It will be understood that in order to make this balancing test, the lever 52, must be moved to a position opposite that shown in Fig. 3, that is, against the stop 50, in which the heads 4'! are free of the beam 20, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that the slidable cone 24, rests upon the end thrust bearing 2 l-A in order to permit the free rotation of the wheel 21, during testing periods.

It will also be noted that the V-shaped heads ll, support the scale beam 29, and protect the operating points thereof. A further function of the heads 47, is to hold the scale beam 20, against rotation in a horizontal plane passing through its axis as well as preventing the rotation of the scale beam 20, on its axis thereby providing ideal conditions for static and dynamic testing.

The three-fold function of the heads 47 confirst in raising the beam to protect the knife edges when a wheel is being put on the tester or being removed therefrom. The second function is to prevent the rotation of the beam in a horizontal plane as might be the case when the wheel was being rotated while frictionally held between the spring urged cones 24 and 25. The third function is to prevent the rocking of the beam on its own axis when such rocking is not. i

desirable.

When the lever 52 is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the knife points are protected. When the lever 52 is against the stop 59, the device is in condition for a static balancing test.

I claim:

In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame having .a pair of pivot points at the opposite end portions thereof near the top of said frame in horizontal align- .ment, pendant rods supported from said pivot points, a horizontal beam having its ends fixed to and supported by said pendant rods, a screw rigidly mounted on said beam between said rods normal to its length and in the same plane therewith, adapted to swing in a vertical plane When said beam is moved laterally, a pair of opposed sliding cones mounted on said screw, adapted to hold an automobile wheel therebetween, springs on the outer side of said cones and nuts on said screw adapted to regulate the pressure on said springs for the purpose of ad justing the center of gravity of a wheel held between said cones with relation to the pivot axis of said rods, and indicating means actuated by .said beam for indicating the amount of unbalance of said wheel in any predetermined position.

WILLIAM H. TRINDLE.

EEFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the his of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,490,109 I-Iort Apr. 15, 1924 2,138,831 Hem Jan. 9, 1940 2,201,982 Bazarek May 28, ,1940

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,350 Great Britain of 1914 387,233 Germany Dec 21, 1923 

